Friday, September 19, 2014

Interview & Giveaway: Soul Searching by Jamie-Jo Brenner



BK: Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see.
Trees and the American flag blowing in the light breeze. It’s overcast but looks beautiful out there. Now I want to be outside!

BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place?
I don’t have an office. But if I did, it’d definitely be messy.

BK: What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write?
A notebook. I take so many notes before, during and after the writing process. I couldn’t live without it! I can’t tell you how many notebooks I have scattered around that are filled with all my ideas for future or previous story ideas.

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise?
I prefer silence. Although, I listen to music when I need to be inspired.

BK: Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.
Brent is a teen who is struggling between who he fears he is and who he so desperately wants to be. As his journey continues, he learns that perhaps those two people aren’t as different as he originally thought they were.

BK: What is your unique twist that you've brought to your storyline?
It’s a story that includes magic, although magic is far from the main focus of the story. It’s a coming of age story about family and friendship that just happens to include a little magic.

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it?
When I struggle with a scene or character, I usually skip the scene and go on to one that’s easier to write. As for a character that is giving me trouble, I talk the issue out with friends or I revert to my notebook.

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...
Juvenile Delinquent
Acceptance
Morality
Inspiring
Empathetic

BK: How did your writing journey begin?
I’ve been writing since I was in 3rd grade. I started with comics and poems and plays and progressed to novels. Guess I have more to say now.

BK: Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family describe you?
Unique, motivating and respectful

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got published or not?
Fanfiction about time traveling

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most surprised to know.
I hated to read until after my first year of college. I don’t think I ever completely finished a book all through school.

BK: What can we expect from you in the future?

 I’m not sure yet, you’ll have to wait and see.


I'm a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Tang Soo Do. I have been on mission trips, one to Haiti and the other to a Native American Reservation/Camp in Oklahoma. I loved both experiences.

I am in the Army Reserves. And I volunteer at Camp Sunshine each August. I also work in Security for Farmer's Insurance. And I was a victim's advocate for the YWCA.

My passion is writing and I love to read. I wrote a books, A Place for Me, and most recently, Soul Searching.

When I was 19, I made an independent film (wrote, directed and starred in it) called, Weight of the World. I wrote A Place for Me when I was 20. Published it at 21. When I was 22, my cousins and I made a indie movie out of it.

Now at 32, I wrote another book. Soul Searching.

Author Links - 





I also have a facebook page for me, Jamie-Jo Brenner as well as Soul Searching novel page.




Book Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Self-Published through CreateSpace on Amazon
Release Date: July 16, 2014
Buy Link(s):




Book Description:


Brent Harper is the perfect guy. He's Max's hero--the boy she's had a crush on since the school year began. But when Brent goes missing, Max must face the truth that she really doesn't know him at all. In order to find him, she will first need to learn everything she can about him.

After Brent wakes up without any memories, his only choice is to trust the first person he sees. Alison, the girl who finds him, promises to help him remember. But what if he doesn't want to remember? When his memories start to return, Brent is confronted with the hardest decision of his life.

How do you choose between who you thought you were and who you want to be?








Excerpt:


Prologue
Brent

There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.
-Seneca

Images of the fight flooded my mind. I’d considered Lucas and Mark my friends, but I wasn’t so sure anymore. I stopped them from picking on my best friend, Max, and the next thing I knew I was shoved against a locker. The cold metal rattled loudly when my body slammed into it. My head throbbed in pain at the contact.
“Stay out of it for once,” Lucas growled.
“Maybe it’s time you learned your place,” Mark spat at me as his fist knocked the wind out of my lungs.
Lucas’s knee connected with my ribs, and I winced in pain. They alternated between knees to stomach, and punches to my face. I fell to a clump on the ground. I knew I should‘ve defended myself, but I made a promise to someone--a promise that I swore I’d keep. I took the beating without complaint, because I knew I deserved it. I always deserved it.
Between kicks, I heard Mark say, “Dude, fight back.”
It sounded like a plea. But I lost consciousness before I figured out the significance of it. It’d been hours since that fight, but even now my ribs hurt and my face ached. Even with all the blood washed away, I bore evidence of the fight, and had feared going home.
I wandered the streets and watched the sky darken around me as I prayed for answers that never came. If they had come, I wouldn’t have done something that I already regretted. I made my choice. And even if I didn’t remember this in the morning, the truth of it weighed heavily on my mind tonight. My demons always found a way to haunt me. Somehow, I knew they’d follow me this time as well. I just wished I hadn’t chosen to start this journey alone.
I reached my destination, and had I taken one last look at the sky. I found my favorite constellations, and recalled all the times I’d admired this same sky. I always felt at home among the stars--they were the only good thing about the darkness. Their presence harkened the depths of imagination. They were ageless as they gazed back at us. We were mere fragments in the lifetime of a star. I longed for that kind of immortality. Even now, I yearned to exist.
I collapsed onto the grass, and fought off sleep for as long as I could. I was terrified of tomorrow. Exhausted, I dispelled one last breath of hot air, and I resigned myself to my fate. Things were finally going to change, I’d seen to that. I couldn’t run forever. And with that thought in mind, I had closed my eyes, and allowed the spell to take me.





Schedule

August 24 - October 13


August 24 - Introduction at VBT CafĂ© Blog

August 26 - Guest Blogging at Coffee, Books & Art

August 28 - Spotlight at Cherry Mischievous


September 2 - Reviewed at Give Me The Books


September 4 - 6 Besties at BK Walker Books


September 8 - Guest Blogging at Bikers With Books


September 10 - Spotlight at Mom With A Kindle


September 12 - 5 Things I Know For Sure & Favorite Recipe at CAT Magazine


September 15 - Reviewed at AG LANG Writes


September 17 - Interviewed at Ghost Rider Book Promotions


September 19 - Interviewed at BK Walker Books Etc.


September 22 - Guest Blogging at Black Coffee, Brown Cow


September 24 - Reviewed at Debbie Jeans


September 26 - Review & Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt

September 29 - Review & Guest Blog at


October 1 - Interviewed at The Avid Reader


October 3 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner


October 6 - Author 2 Author Marketing at BookIt BK


October 8 - Interviewed at Yah Did Marketing Radio at 6:30pm EST


October 10 - Interviewed at Immortality & Beyond


October 13 - Reviewed at BK Walker Books